The War is Over
by lovesron
Summary: Directly after Deathly Hallows. The couples are cannon: Harry with Ginny and Ron with Hermione. JKR's characters must grieve and eventually move on from the great tragedy that was Voldemort's downfall.
1. Finally Over part 1

As Luna distracted those surrounding him, _the boy who lived_ slipped on his invisibility cloak and headed to the entrance hall to explain what truly had happened that night, or at least as much as he could get through, to the two people who had stuck by him through everything. The two who loved each other, the two who loved Harry, the two he was eternally grateful for, and the two he knew he could not live without. They were his best friends, and it meant more than he could ever express that they had wanted to come with him on this, his most dangerous, most crucial, and most epic of journeys. The one that he had hoped, beyond all else, to be his last such adventure.

Harry, Hermione, and Ron walked through the rubble of the corridors and the missing chunks of stone strewn on the floor as Harry gave a short, general explanation of what had happened that night, leaving out many of the details. The two people, a tall boy with brilliant red hair and a brunette wearing a worried expression, who stood on either side of Harry did not press the issue, knowing he had experienced a brutally difficult and terrifying day.

His head hurt too much from the losses he had endured and the battle he had fought to go into details now, and he was glad they understood his position. The appalling image of the mutilated bodies of Fred, Lupin, and Tonks was firmly stuck in his mind, and the awful lack of life and desperate absence of any human spirit in their empty eyes echoed through his thoughts. The three teenagers strode on in silence reflecting on various memories from the last few hours, but the truth of Voldemort's downfall was not vital now, there was something else they must attend to. They arrived at the headmaster's office and, with the stone gargoyle's permission, made there way up the spiral staircase.

In the midst of the cheering of the portraits of the many past headmasters and headmistresses of Hogwarts, Harry spoke to Dumbledore's portrait about the two pieces of the Deathly Hallows he must part with. He felt no great pain in the end of his possession of the elder wand, after all he did not want the power-hungry nature it dictated in its owners and knew that as legendary a magical artifact as it was, it could never replace the wand that had chosen him on his eleventh birthday. He also understood it was for the best that he had left the resurrection stone in some unknown part of the forest, he did not wish to bring back his mother and father, or Sirius, or Lupin, just to live a half life where they would never truly feel the comforts and joys of living.

In the pride emanating from his old Headmaster at hearing his decisions, Harry felt that he had finally completed his task. A responsibility that had forced him to feel pain greater than he had ever imagined, as well as become the single most important, if not most skilled, wizard to ever live, had been lifted. His was a legacy that would last through out the ages, not because he was a cruel and vicious tyrant, but because even after he had lost so many who were close to him, the power of love still held strong in his heart, and in his veins.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione left the framed smiling faces behind, leaving Dumbledore's office and walking on, eventually finding them selves in the entrance hall once more. Harry knew, even as he tried to deny them this right, that his friends deserved to know the full, or at least most, of the story of the defeat of Voldemort, a tale they were so much a part of.

He proceeded to explain what had occurred in the forbidden forest just a few hours ago, even though it felt like a lifetime longer. He merely gave them the general idea of his conversation with Dumbledore, not wanting to see their shocked and disgusted expressions at his description of that ugly, hideously maimed baby. But this time, he did tell them about the scene he had witnessed in the pensieve, how he had discovered that he, himself, was a horcrux. He grimaced as Hermione gasped and gave a small shriek of horror and Ron looked Harry hard in the eyes. He even, painfully, told them how he had watched as Snape, the traitor, the one he loathed above all others, he who had killed Harry's mentor, revealed himself to be the greatest hero of their age.

"He died looking into my mother's eyes...looking into mine" Harry finished off his retelling, experiencing an unexpected, sudden rush of emotion "He died…and he still loved her." he whispered, his voice cracking.

Hermione's face, so jubilant just a few moments before, turned deathly pale, and a single, isolated tear made it way down her cheek, clearing a path in the dust and grime that had settled on her skin. Ron had a blazing look in his eyes, not dissimilar to one his sister often wore, his stare penetrating, but he looked beyond Hermione, past Harry, and far away from his dead brother and friends. Harry thought Ron must be lost in the past just as he was, remembering every moment they had doubted Snape's allegiance to their cause or thought Dumbledore a fool for trusting him.

"He was on our side after all…and I always thought" but Hermione stopped herself their, her voice too becoming sharply higher.

Ron gave a start at this, as if waking from a long reverie, and glimpsing Hermione's tear streaked features he wiped the liquid away with his thumb, while cradling her visage in his palm. She too seemed to come out of some sort of deep trance and tears that had been on the brink of falling finally spilled freely and quickly down her cheeks and nose. Ron took her in his arms, burying her face in his shoulder while she wept for all they had been through, for all those who had died heroes, and for the childhood these three friends never had the luxury of living.

Ron sank his long nose into her hair and spoke words of comfort, and though they were directed towards the girl he embraced, Harry knew that they were meant for him as well.

"He died, yes, Snape died, and so did Fred…" Ron gulped as one sparkling drop of water slid off his formidable nose and on to Hermione's bushy head of hair, "Fred, and Lupin…and Tonks. And so many…so many others. And we will miss them, damn it we will, but they died for a reason." At this the lanky red head shook with the effort it took to stop the tears that he knew would eventually fall, "He's gone Hermione, Vol…Voldemort's gone, really this time. Harry made sure of that." Ron stopped and as he gazed into his best friend's eyes, each saw respect in the stare of the other. From Harry for the rare eloquence and tact that Ron was showing, and from Ron for the bravery and humility that Harry had displayed that night. Ron looked away from his friend and down to the sobbing young woman who he clung to, and resumed his calming words, "But even though we lost them for a cause, we'll never forget who died tonight, and we will honor them, and, damn it, we'll never forget what they fought for…and, and how bravely they fought for it." he finished fiercely, lacking the emotional restraint to continue.

Harry opened his mouth to respond to his friend's serious and heartfelt words, which were such a rarity, but closed it quickly. Instead he simply squeezed Ron's shoulder since Ron now seemed to have exhausted his powers to speak, content just to stroke Hermione's curly chestnut hair. Harry gave her a small smile before leaving them in their silent, tearful embrace.

The boy with the lightning bolt scar draped the invisibility cloak back over his tall, thin frame and made his way back into the great hall. He did not bother to step lightly because he knew the noises of the festivities encircling him would drown out the soft sound of his converses tapping the floor of the dining hall. He glanced back to see Ron still holding Hermione tightly, but their grief seemed out of place in the exuberant atmosphere of the crowded room.

All around him people celebrated the defeat of the most powerful, and most terrible, dark wizard of all time. All these people cheered for something they knew nothing about. Something that had cost so many lives, torn so many families apart, and had brought, Harry thought with a sad smile, so many friends together in mourning. It was a day to rejoice, to be sure, but also one to understand the true implications of that prophecy made sixteen years ago, and what it had meant for, not just wizards, but mankind.

But the teenager with the messy black hair that stood out at an odd angle in the back of his head did not shout out in glee, he instead scanned the rambunctious crowd for just one face, and he found her by her mother's side at the Gryffindor table. She was slouched against Charlie, and he too seemed less than cheerful. Harry quickly advanced on where the Weasleys sat together in noiseless distress. He glanced around at the redheaded occupants of this stretch of the table and was not surprised to be met by not one joyful expression.

He wished he did not know why. George sat, slumped over the table looking forlorn and miserable, but more than anything, completely alone. He was surrounded by people, and all the same, the death of his twin had hit George harder than any of the others, as Harry knew it would. In the pit of his stomach there was a growing sense of guilt. He had been there; he had watched Fred get killed by a Death Eater. Watched Percy scream out with agony at the sudden death of the brother he had so recently reconciled with. It was small comfort to Harry that he, himself, had finished off the murderer's master that same night, because he knew that nothing could bring Fred back to life. And yet, Harry had no idea what to say to George to comfort him about the loss of his best friend, fellow prankster, and above all else, twin brother.

He stared in anguish for another moment at the pained young man with the vivid orange hair sitting before him and then turned his attention to the younger girl wearing an impassive expression.

"Ginny," Harry whispered as she jumped at the sound "It's just me…will you come talk?"

There was a pleading in his voice that he had not expected to be there, but she simply shrugged and shifted her head to where she assumed him to be, "alright."

She excused herself from the silent gathering and stepped out from the table, "In the entrance hall." Harry said in a low voice, "out there."

Ginny nodded and tossed her long, sleek red hair out of her face and strode out of the dining hall quickly. Harry trotted along at her heels and when the two teenagers, only one visible, exited the hall the boy shrugged off his invisibility cloak and paced nervously up and down in front of the girl, not knowing how to begin a conversation that was suddenly so important to him. Now that the fighting was over, he was just a seventeen year old boy again, a normal teenager with normal priorities.

She finally reached out a hand and stopped him, and he looked up at her, not really seeing her at all, and hesitated, then stated awkwardly, "Ron and Hermione must have gone up to the common room." At Ginny's slightly perplexed look he clarified, "They were here a minute ago."

"Oh, yeah I guess" she replied, though her voice lacked its usual strong quality. But when Harry finally gathered the courage to look her straight in the face it was the slightly defeated and the diminished blazing in her eyes that really worried him.

Throwing all caution to the wind, the taller figure put his arms around the slighter one, and pulled her close. He could not bear to see a look so desperate in her eyes. Harry felt her stand rigid against him for a moment, in shock, then finally relax and grip him back, just as hard. He felt wetness on his shirt and in looking down saw tears falling, thick and fast, from Ginny's streaming eyes on to his chest.

He held her tighter and, finally, he felt he could speak to her as he had before all of this began, "I'm sorry about Fred Ginny, I'm…I'm just so sorry."

He wished he had something better to say to the trembling person who he clutched so firmly.

She held him fast, "I am too." She spoke, her voice shaking and slightly muffled by his body, "And about Tonks…" choking back a sob she continued, "...and Lupin. I just can't believe it Harry. The war's over, you ended it. I always knew you would, I just wish I had been there with you, to help…I wanted to stand by you."

She gave him a tiny, watery smile before burying her face in his now sopping wet, navy blue t-shirt once more. Harry put his thumb under her chin and tilted her head back to look him in the eyes.

"I know you did." He said, using his left hand to wipe away the tears gleaming on her face, distorting her beautiful, pale complexion. "I know you did," he added fervently and somewhat desperately at her renewed crying. "But I couldn't let you Gin, you know I couldn't. I couldn't lose you…" he paused "I've missed you Ginny, more than you'll believe" and with this he leaned down and kissed her on the cheek.

The tears rapidly ceased to flow down Ginny's face as she saw Harry Potter, the man who had defeated Lord Voldemort, blush crimson at the thought of what he had just done.

Slowly a grin spread across her face, as he only got redder, "I was thinking, see, well Ginny, I thought maybe, since the war is over and all, maybe we could be together again" he nearly shouted the last phrase, it burst out in a near incoherent rush.

Harry went an even deeper shade of scarlet and tried to continue, "Well, I mean, I understand if you don't, I mean look what's happened, and Fred, and oh, I just wish…" but he never got to finish, as in answer the girl of his dreams stood on tiptoe, flung her slender arms around his neck and kissed him gently on the lips.

"I've missed you too, Harry. So bloody much." She added as an afterthought as the boy of her dreams laughed quietly and took her in his arms again, pecked her on the cheek, and whispered in her ear, "It will be alright now, I promise, its over, we'll get through it together…" He pulled away to look her in the face "…all of us together, Ron and Hermione too. We'll take care of each other." and as he slipped back into her sweet embrace, added silently, so that she could barely hear, "and I'm never letting go of you again. Never."


	2. Finally Over part 2

Harry Potter yawned and swung his legs off his four-poster bed. He peered through the open hangings of the bed beside his and chuckled silently as he saw that Ron lay snoring, face down in his pillow. It seemed impossible to Harry that just the night before he had shown himself to be worthy of every word of Professor Trelawney's prophecy. The phrase "neither can live while the other survives" that had resounded so menacingly in his thoughts for so long had now lost its painful meaning. Though it still echoed in his mind, it felt like something from a past life, something he no longer belonged to.

The previous night he had decided, along with Ron and Hermione, that the facts of Voldemort's downfall; his horcruxs, the deathly hallows, and most of all, the part they had played, should not be widely known. They all had their own reasons, Harry knew, but his was simply that he could not bear to relive so many terrible memories for the world. It was a selfish reason for keeping the truth hidden, but there were also many practical ones. There would be no more evil dark wizards in his lifetime, Harry was determined of that, and he would not tell the world just how awful Voldemort's horcruxs were just to have someone else do the same. With the thought of someone following in Tom Riddle's footsteps, Harry gave an involuntary shudder, and resumed dressing.

Once he had laced up his sneakers, he looked again at where his best friend was waking from what appeared to be a long, fitful rest, and Harry's thoughts immediately jumped to another red head he cared so much about. Harry did not want to see the pained expression on Ginny's face or hear the shrieks of horror emitting from her lips when she heard about their full adventure, one that began long before last night, long before Dumbledore's death even. He had cared about her too much to let her come with them, but he knew that he also cared about her deeply enough that it would be an injustice not to tell her what he had been born to do.

As Voldemort "marked him as his equal" that night nearly seventeen years ago, Harry's destiny was chosen for him. He would grow up to avenge the murders of his mother and father, the death of his godfather, his mentor, his owl, and his friends. But it was a destiny that had now come to its end, and now it was this boy's decision which path his future would take.

Harry knew he would uphold the values of Dumbledore, Sirius, and Lupin, he would take the power of love that flowed within his veins and be the son that his mother had died to protect. He had no family to love, but as if to make up for it, his friends meant more to him than anything. He would tell Ginny the truth, the whole truth, and he would live with whatever she made of it.

"Harry, watchya doing?" Ron asked with a yawn as he slipped off his bed and on to the cold flagstones of the floor.

Harry had been frozen, midway through shrugging on his jumper, for a full minute, lost in thought. "Just thinking."

As the two young men, one tall and lanky and wearing a Chudley Cannons t-shirt, and the other slightly shorter with a head of messy black hair that stuck out in all directions, walked down the stairs to the common room, they found Hermione waiting for them.

"Hi," said Hermione, in a nervous and slightly high-pitched voice that Harry could never remember having heard her use before. But as he turned towards Ron to share a questioning look, he saw Ron's ears turning pink, and knew that something had transpired between his two best friends the night before. "Um, why don't we go down to breakfast, oh, and Ginny wanted to talk to you Harry." Hermione continued.

"Oh, good, well I was gonna talk to her anyway. I'm going to tell her what we've been doing, the horcruxs, everything, its over anyway, and she should know." Though it was not phrased as such, the other two knew he was asking them for permission to divulge all they had been doing together, where each had experienced their bad moments.

Harry did not know what he had expected, a flat out refusal perhaps, but that was not Hermione response, "I, I think your right, there are some people who deserve to know. You, well, she was really broken up about you ditching her, and your right, she deserves to know why."

Harry gave her a smile, not understanding how she always seemed to know his exact reasoning, but as usual, decided her brilliance was beyond him and there was no point in dwelling on the matter.

He instead turned towards Ron, who was wearing a less accommodating expression, "I dunno Harry, I mean there's some stuff we've had to do, I mean the imperius, crucio, and I mean, I'm sorry mate, but she's my little sister, and I don't want her to think…" he trailed off, but something in Harry's mind clicked, something he should have seen coming.

"Ron, if you would rather, I mean, if you don't want me to tell her about how you left, I won't. But you were wearing the horcrux, and when you came back you saved me and smashed the locket and everything, she won't judge you for it. But if you'd rather I didn't, I won't."

Ron looked slightly pacified at this reminder of his bravery, but soon his face was again indecisive. "Alright, I guess you can tell her," he said finally, "but make her promise not to tell mum, she'll kill me if she knew I left you two there alone."

"Ok, I will" Harry said, while trying not to smile at the image of Mrs. Weasley chasing Ron around the burrow with a frying pan that had appeared in his head.

"Now that that's settled, can we go eat?" Hermione said in a forced, business like tone, though her cheeks were still flushed.

Looking next to her Harry saw that Ron was redder than ever. Deciding to give them a moment to sort out their issues now, instead of leaving it to an awkward breakfast, Harry made his excuse, "I forgot something in the dormitory, I'll be right back."

As soon as the echo of his footsteps faded from the empty common room, Hermione turned towards Ron and spoke with that nervous, girlish voice again, "So last night, did you really mean it?" she said almost pleadingly, as if she could not believe it was true.

Looking down at her Ron felt his happiness, as well as the blushing on his face, grow as he thought of the prospect of being with her without anything, not fighting, not horcruxs, not even Krum or Lavender, to come between them.

"I meant every word. The wars over Hermione, I want to be with you today just as much as I did last night. Just as much as I did at Bill and Fluer's wedding." He said, hoping beyond hope that she would not take away this brief joy that he had experienced since last night at the thought of him, finally, getting the girl. "Wait, do you still, I mean if you wanted to not, well I would understand, I suppose…" he finished lamely, suddenly full of doubts as to why she had asked in the first place.

Did she wish she had not promised him that they would be a couple? Did she hope that he would take it back so that she would not have to? He peered through the red hair that covered his eyes, looking at her with despair creeping up his face to replace his familiar blush.

"You do?" she said, smiling up at the young man who just now looked like a little boy about to be reprimanded, such were his nerves. She giggled, a very un-Hermione like thing to do, then stood on tiptoe to kiss him. When they broke apart she said "Me too."

At her words he felt the jubilance and excitement swell inside him once more, and, in a moment of pure happiness from both, she jumped into his arms to hold him tightly, as he spoke, holding her just as firmly, "I'm glad I finally told you then," he said kissing her on the cheek and smelling the flowery shampoo in her hair.

"Took you long enough though, didn't it." She said, laughing merrily as he turned red once more. She let go of him and took his hand in her own. "I always knew you would eventually, I just thought, after Lavender…"

"Don't even talk about that girl to me, I knew I would eventually too, its just…it's just hard."

Hermione chuckled, and Ron gave a reluctant smile as Harry stepped off the last stair and walked towards his two friends. "All set?" He asked, and they nodded. "Let's go then, I'm starving."

Harry walked ahead of Ron and Hermione and opened the portrait hole. He stepped through it first then waited for Ron to appear. The tall red head climbed out and then turned to help Hermione do the same, before taking her hand once more. As the three walked through the halls of Hogwarts, other students shouted out to them. They met fellow Gryffindors Shamus and Dean, as well as Neville, who barely noticed them seeing as he was, for perhaps the hundredth time, trying to dissuade Luna from believing that there existed some fantastic plant or another. The school was full of life again, and there were many people who would not usual be seen at the location. Many members of the Order of the Phoenix had stayed at the castle over night, though one notable exception was Kingsley Shaklebolt, who had been named temporary Minister of Magic, and had other duties to attend to.

Harry, Ron and Hermione stepped into the great hall, which seemed to be bursting with people. Though the majority of the students had been evacuated from the premises the previous day, many had returned to finish off the term. There were also parents, teachers, ex-students, Order members, and a variety of other witches and wizards who had arrived the previous night to aide the school. At the head table sat the remaining Professors of Hogwarts. Professor McGonagall, now headmistress, as well as Professors Sprout, Flitwick, Slughorn, Trelawney, and others Harry did not know as well.

Looking around the room, he noticed that although at first glance he had thought the hall completely full, he now saw that one table was barely used. The Slytherin table, which stood on the far left, had barely any occupants, though a few older witches and wizards sat on the end, no doubt not finding room at the other three tables. Though the house tables each held a fair number from their respective houses, there was no where near the separation there had been just a few days before.

Harry spotted the Weasleys again sitting at the Gryffindor table, though he also saw Hannah Abbot's family and Michael Corner's, neither of whom were Gryffindors. Harry also noticed, with a grin, that though Michael was attempting to engage Ginny in conversation, she had eyes only for the approaching party of Ron, Harry and Hermione. Ron was first to reach his family, looking back at Hermione and squeezing her hand before letting it go, and then giving his mother a kiss on the cheek and Ginny a one armed hug. If Ginny felt any surprise at this rare gesture of affection from her brother, she showed no sign of it, and instead waved towards Harry and Hermione. Mrs. Weasley stood at the sight of the two people behind Ron, pulling first Hermione, then Harry into hugs. Mr. Weasley also stood beside his wife, shaking hands with Harry and Hermione, and squeezing his son's shoulder.

"Mrs. Weasley," Harry said, his voice shaking slightly, "I'm so sorry about, about…Fred" he looked down at his shoes, not wanting his gaze be met by an accusatory stare.

"It's not your fault, Harry, dear, I," she to had to master herself before continuing, "I'm so proud of what you did, Harry." But she could not finish.

Mr. Weasley put his arm around her and then spoke, addressing Harry, "He was part of the Order, he knew what he was signing up for. He died a valiant death." But at this point he too seemed unable to resume speaking.

After an awkward silence when it seemed that no one knew what to say, Harry sat down beside Ginny and Ron and Hermione placed themselves across from them. Their breakfast went amiably enough after that, containing conversations about lighter topics, and then, Harry felt, he could no longer avoid the subject.

As everyone was busy chatting around them, Harry took Ginny's hand in both of his own, "Will you come up to the common room with me?" He asked quietly and nervously.

"We're not breaking up already are we?" she asked laughing, but at seeing the desperate expression on his face, she added worriedly, "are we?"

"No, no of course not, I just need to talk to you, I wanna tell you…well everything. Everything we've been doing, everything that's happened."

"Okay, let's go."

Harry held Ginny's hand tightly in his own as they solemnly walked up the staircases and hallways that lead to the Gryffindor common room.

"Abyssinian Shrivelfig" Harry said to the fat lady before she could open her mouth to ask for the password.

"Correct!" and she swung open to let them pass.

The common room was empty, as Harry had hoped, everyone either at breakfast or enjoying themselves on the grounds. Harry sat down in an armchair and motioned for Ginny to do the same in the one beside his. Seeing how nervous he was, she reached over to where his hand lay, limp, on his lap and squeezed it, "It's alright Harry, whatever happened, I understand, you did what you had to do." She said, gazing up at him and smiling reassuringly.

Harry decided that putting this off would not make reliving so many terrible things any easier, so he began, "I wanna start at the beginning. It's a long story though," Ginny nodded, "I guess I should tell you the prophecy first…" and with this his tale began. He told her about how either he or Voldemort would have to die, about how Dumbledore had shown Harry that Tom Riddle had made multiple horcruxs, how the diary had already been destroyed, at which point Ginny let out a small gasp, and how Dumbledore had also broken the ring and, in doing so, killed the piece of Voldemort's soul which resided there.

He told her how he and Dumbledore had been searching for one of the horcruxs the day Dumbledore died, and how it was a fake. How Harry, Ron and Hermione had searched, and found the rest of them, eventually destroying them by various means. He told her about the Deathly Hallows, and how he had owned one all along. Even how he had watched Snape die and had been given his memories. He explained what he had seen in the pensieve, how he, himself, was a horcrux, how he had known he must die, and gone to face it alone. Harry knew that it was only because she was afraid to interrupt him that she did not launch herself into his arms when she heard this. But he continued, only because he felt he could not stop.

She listened as he recounted his adventure in the forbidden forest, how he could not die as long as Voldemort lived, and he even went into, briefly, his conversation with Dumbledore at King's Cross. He explained how Neville had killed the final horcrux and how Harry could finally, after so much effort, kill the man who had placed upon him this horrible fate. When he finished he could not even look her in the face, afraid to see repulsion and hatred etched into her frown. But she simply looked stunned and melancholy.

She felt deep sadness for this young man who had been forced to do so much more than most adults would ever dream of. She felt deep hatred for the monster who had forced this boy to age far beyond his years. But more than anything else, she realized just how deeply she cared about the person sitting beside her, and just how much at would have hurt her if he had died the night before.

"Oh, Harry." He looked up and she got out of her seat and walked over to him. She sat gingerly on the arm of the chair he sat brooding in. She took his face in her hands and looked at him with that hard, blazing look, "Are you alright?"

He returned her worried expression with a surprised one of his own, out of all the thing his paranoid mind had expected; disgust at the terrible curses he had used, anger that he had not told her sooner, or despair at the thought that he was not the person she had thought him to be, worry was not one of them.

He smiled slightly, "so…your not mad?" he asked hopefully.

She looked at him like he was crazy, "How could be mad at you, you just saved the world…again."

She leaned down to where he sat and kissed him on the cheek, and then slipped into his arms and onto his lap.

He laughed softly and said "I'm glad your not mad, I wanted you to know, well, why I couldn't bare to bring you with me. Even though most of the time I wished you were there."

"Well with the amount you all fought I'd say I'm glad I wasn't there, or we might not be together now." She said before kissing him. "Oh, and Harry, I almost forgot, Mum wanted me to tell you, and Hermione to, since term ends soon, if you wanna come to our house for the summer."

She looked at him, trying to puzzle out his response, but to Harry it was obvious; that nothing would make him happier then a few months with Ron, Hermione, the rest of the Weasleys, and, he though with a grin, Ginny.

"Course I will, a full summer of your Mum's cooking, how could I resist?" he said with a smile, as he leaned over to kiss her.


	3. The Second Over, The Third Begins

"Haaaarry, Rooon, breakfast!" came Mrs. Weasley's voice from downstairs.

But Harry was already lying awake, fully dressed, on top of his bed in Ron's room. It had been two weeks since that horrible night that still haunted Harry's dreams. There were so many things that he wanted to shout out to the world, to tell them that this was not what it seemed, that he was not a hero, but merely a boy who had been forced to act in a time of crisis. He wished that these people who were celebrating his achievement would take a second to see what it had cost.

He thought of those who had been sacrificed for the greater good; Fred, leaving behind the entire Weasley family to mourn for him, Tonks and Lupin, dying to make a better world for the young child who was now orphaned, and Snape, who had no one to grieve for him, no one to wail in despair at his death, no one to shed tears over his lifeless body. Except Harry. The one person alive who could truly comprehend the bravery of a man who was not necessarily a hero, but who, like Harry, could still hang on to love even after all that had happened to him.

It was this man who Harry was awake for. This man that he had dressed in new, sleek black, dress robes for. And, most importantly, it was for this man that Harry lay, finally coming to terms with what courage really meant, and how to honor those rare few who exhibited it. It was the day of Snape's funeral and he was being buried as a hero, something that, Harry felt, he completely deserved. One of the first things that Harry had done, after the battle and its aftermath were finally over, was to speak to Kingsley Shaklebolt and Professor McGonagall about the reality of Snape and Dumbledore's relationship, and how Snape had been on orders to kill the headmaster. They had asked Harry to speak at the funeral, and he, feeling it was the least he could do, had agreed.

"HARRY, RON, GET DOWN HERE!"

Ron sat bolt upright in his bed and mumbled, "Wha…what is it, Harry what's going on?"

"Nothin', your Mum wants us down for breakfast, we have to be at Hogwarts at ten…the funeral, remember." But Harry had no doubt that Ron did remember, that Ron had been dreading this day almost as much as Harry had, and that he, too, did not quite know how to react to the death of a man who was equally brave and cruel.

Ron shrugged off the blankets covering him and headed to the bathroom, looking dazed and tired, to brush his teeth. Harry slid off his bed and onto the floor, his socks hitting it with a muffled thump. He slipped on his dress shoes and tied the laces, then called out to Ron, "I'm goin' down."

"Okay, meet you in a minute."

Harry's shiny, black shoes gave off a loud clunk every time they hit a step on his was down the Burrow's winding staircase. As he passed by Hermione and Ginny's room he had the sudden urge to rush through the doorway and into Ginny's arms, to have someone understand what he could not: why he felt such pain and loss for a teacher who he had always so passionately hated. But he resisted the powerful impulse and kept walking down the steep stairs to the ground floor.

When he reached the kitchen he saw Mrs. Weasley standing with her hands on her hips scolding Percy, "…but you are much to thin! Working at the ministry has not helped matters, you must eat more! Here, have some eggs…" but when she noticed Harry's arrival she immediately forgot her son's eating habits and greeted him. "Oh, hello, Harry dear, care for some eggs? Bacon? Toast?" But as he continued to shake his head numbly she resumed her scolding, this time directed towards Harry, "But dear, you must eat, we all should…" she said, eyeing Percy, and adding a second helping of eggs as well as a few strips of bacon and a slice of toast onto her son's plate.

By the time Harry had finally allowed Mrs. Weasley to fill his plate in the same way she had Percy's, Ron had arrived and taken his place at the table across from Harry and beside Percy. Silence fell as all three young men sat in thought, occasionally receiving a glare from Mrs. Weasley and taking a bight of eggs or bacon to pacify her. Ron was wearing the deep blue dress robes that the twins had bought him two years previously, and though they were a bit too short for him, they still looked rather good.

Mrs. Weasley finally broke the uneasy silence, "Where are the girls? And how about George and Charlie? We have to leave in a half an hour; we just can't possibly be late. Oh dear, where have they got to…"

"We're right here Mum." Ginny said, as she and Hermione stepped through the doorway to the kitchen, each looking somber, yet beautiful in their own way.

Ginny looked striking and gorgeous in a flowing, simple, black dress. She wore a black, velvet headband to keep her long red hair out of her face, and immediately broke apart from Hermione to go sit on Harry's left. She took his hand, which had been lying on the table, and squeezed it. He looked into her brown eyes and saw that she understood how difficult this was and how confused he felt. He felt a surge of affection for her, and smiled at her now watery features.

Hermione had returned just the day before from Australia, where she had traveled to lift the enchantment she had placed on her parents to keep them safe in her absence. Harry knew that Ron had missed her greatly, and it was only because he could not leave his own family in a time of such mourning that he had not gone with her. Harry, too, was glad she was back, it was not the same without her.

She looked as equally stunning as Ginny, wearing a shimmering black dress and high heels. Her hair was not as bushy as usual, instead covering her head and shoulders in elegant, sleek curls. After greeting Mrs. Weasley, she rounded the table to sit beside Ron, giving him a swift kiss while his mother's back was turned. On any other day Ron would have blushed slightly at the amount of people watching them, but on this morning he simply gazed at her intently, then hugged her fiercely.

When Mrs. Weasley finally turned around from examining Charlie and George, who had arrived, she gave a small smile at the two couples sitting on either side of her kitchen table. Harry and Ginny sat side by side with there hands intertwined on the table, Ginny with her head on Harry's shoulder, and he resting his chin on her fiery red locks, each looking forlornly out into the distance. Across from them, Hermione sat in Ron's lap, her arms wrapped around his neck and his around her waist, Hermione burying her head in Ron's chest, and he stroking her hair subconsciously. On any other day Mrs. Weasley would have scolded her son and daughter for their behavior, but on this morning, she felt they each needed someone to love, someone to hold on to.

"Mum, maybe we should get going. It starts in fifteen minutes, we might want…" but at this point Charlie was cut off by his mother.

"Oh, dear, you're right. By floo powder everyone," and as they all rose to gather around the fire place, Ron and Hermione arm in arm, and Harry holding Ginny's hand in his own, she continued, "Alright, George, you first…"

"Hogwarts" George said, loudly and clearly, as he threw down a hand full of green powder and disappeared in a burst of emerald colored flames.

"Now Percy…"

Percy repeated his younger brother's actions, and he too spun out of sight in the green fire engulfing him.

"Charlie, you're next…"

And for the third time, a red headed figure went out of sight into the fireplace.

"Ron, now you…"

"Okay, I'll see you over there." He said to Hermione, Harry, and Ginny, and giving Hermione a kiss on the cheek, he too vanished into the dancing neon flames.

"Your turn Hermione…" continued Mrs. Weasley

"See you…" she said, with a wave to the other two, and disappeared.

"Alright, Ginny, then Harry." Said Mrs. Weasley, finishing off her list.

Ginny squeezed Harry's hand and tossed down the floo powder, shortly followed by Harry.

Harry emerged from the fireplace in the Gryffindor common room, falling flat on his back. Ron pulled him up, chuckling, and when Mrs. Weasley popped out of the fire soon after, the Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione headed out onto the grounds. There were black clad figures approaching Dumbledore's grave from all directions, as this was the place where Snape, and others who had died to further Dumbledore's goal, were being laid to rest. A surprising amount of people had showed up, considering how everyone had hated Snape so passionately. The story of the potions master's bravery must have spread quickly, seeing as it had only been a few weeks since all had considered him a traitor and a murderer.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley lead the way to the rows of chairs set up a short distance away from the white, marble tomb that held Dumbledore. George, Percy, and Charlie followed close behind, having a whispered conversation. Last, in this sad procession, were Ron and Hermione, hand in hand, marching silently and determinedly towards their seats, both looking resolutely neutral. Harry walked noiselessly down the path behind them, brooding over his true thoughts on Severus Snape. He did not know if he would be able to speak at the ceremony, feeling both light headed and strangely calm. He did not know what he would say, even if he could bring him self to stand before so many people, and speak of a man he had loathed for so many years.

Ginny came up from behind him, evidently trying to figure out if he wanted her with him or not, but decided that he needed her, and slipped her arm around his waist. He looked down at the beautiful red head beside him, and put his arm around her shoulders and held her tightly to him. Harry had not realized how much he had needed another person's touch and comfort and it gave him a great sense of relief to have her hand keeping him close by her. He gave her a small smile in thank you for her arrival, and continued his steady marching down to the sight of the funeral.

The group filed into some chairs a few rows back from the grave sight, but if it had been up to Harry he would have sat as far away from it as possible. Even so, somehow he knew that if he left now, he would never be able to come to terms with Snape and what he had done. He understood that he had to stay, no matter how hard it was. Harry was sitting in between Ginny and Hermione, both looking solemn, but now in control of their emotions. Ron's arm lay slack over Hermione's shoulders, but she did not seem to notice or care, she sat in a dazed silence, absentmindedly stroking Ron's hand.

Ginny sat stock still, staring at the burial place without really seeing it, looking past the people seated in various states of shock, grief, and realization, and looked out over the lake. Harry knew what she felt, like someone had torn out a part of him that he had never known he possessed, a portion of his being that he had not known meant so much to him. He realized, with a jolt, that Snape had been his last living connection to his parents, with the three other Merauders dead at the hands of Voldemort. Snape had always been a reminder of James Potter's existence. The hatred the two school mates had shared for each other had been strong, and only now did Harry fully understand how deep their mutual loathing went, for James had married the woman who Snape had never stopped loving.

Vaguely Harry watched as people continued to file in, and Kingsley stood before them all. Harry did not pay much attention as the Minister of Magic rambled on about the bravery Snape had possessed and the unprecedented risk he had taken. His words did not mean much to Harry, and the only thing that kept him from floating off into his own thoughts completely was Ginny's hand gripping his arm tightly, as if he could prevent her from falling over some deep precipice of desperation. He turned his head to look at her, but her eyes did not meet his, they were instead fixed on Kingsley, as if daring him to continue with his meaningless speech.

Finally Harry heard his name called, as if from a great distance away, and felt Hermione nudging him. He stood, as if in a trance, and headed to the place Kingsley had recently vacated. He stood in front of the dozens of people who had come, not to grieve, but to observe the spectacle or satisfy their curiosity. He did not know what he could say to them to make them understand. He could not tell them the whole truth, but even if he could, he doubted it would make any difference.

Words began slipping out of his lips, words he had not known he had the courage to say, but upon seeing Ginny, Ron and Hermione's pained faces, had somehow found it in himself to begin, "Snape, Professor Snape was a lot of things. He was a git most of the time, and he wasn't great to us, but really only one thing about him matters now, that he was a hero." Harry spoke steadily, with some sort of unearthly calm that seemed more important than just him, that had effected everyone present, "He, well, Voldemort wouldn't be dead if it weren't for Snape…and I probably wouldn't be here. He loved my Mum, and 'cause of that, he left Voldemort and chose to protect me, and….and become Dumbledore's man," Harry gazed out at the crowd congregated around him, and knew he had done his part, that he had put at least some of his own demons to rest, and that Snape could finally rest in peace, "…he chose to be Dumbledore's man. Through and through."

The spell had been lifted; people who had despised Snape in life were reduced to tears at the thought of his memory. Harry did not give them a second glance, instead walking straight up to the castle.

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Ron and Hermione found him sitting alone in the Gryffindor common room a half an hour later. "You alright, mate?" Ron asked Harry hesitantly, as if he did not know if he would get or want a response.

"Fine."

"Harry…are you sure, I mean you were so, oh Harry…" Hermione's sentence trailed off, leaving a lingering sense of his achievement and her awe.

"Look I'm fine okay…just bloody brilliant."

"Harry, we were just wondering…well, Ginny's worried about you. I'm warning you, if you ditch her again…" but Ron's threat died in his mouth at a glare from Hermione, "okay, come on Hermione."

Hermione looked at Harry for a moment and then nodded and he watched as she and Ron left through the portrait hole one after the other, wondering why he always had to be so rude to them.

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As soon as the portrait of the fat lady swung shut Ron let himself collapse against the wall out side of the common room. He looked unnerved, and he was deathly pale under his vivid orange freckles. Hermione paced up and down the hallway, occasionally looking at the long and lean eighteen-year-old sitting on the dusty floor, and could not feel anything but exhaustion. The war was supposed to be over, and yet even with the downfall of Lord Voldemort, she still felt as if they were trying to defeat some indestructible enemy.

Every time she glanced at one of the Weasleys she felt a stab of pity and anger, she could not believe that Fred had been taken from them. And then she thought of Harry, he who had lost so much and gained so little. These latest blows, the deaths of Harry's last role model, Remus Lupin, and his wife, as well as that of Snape, had hit Harry hard. Hermione knew that, Harry being Harry, he would blame himself for everyone of the countless deaths and injuries that had been endured in the name of "the boy who lived" and "the chosen one".

"Hermione, stop pacing, its givin' me a headache."

She paused, and stared at his bowed head, then sat down beside him. She let her head rest on the cool, hard stone wall behind her and pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. Ron turned towards her, putting one, thin arm around her shoulders, and pulling her towards him. With her head buried in his shoulder, she finally let herself go. Hermione extracted her arms from around her legs and hugged Ron to her, her hands clasped on his back. He cradled her head in his other hand, and they sat together in silence, noiseless tears making there way down Hermione face and dripping onto Ron's robes.

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Harry sat with his head in his hands in front of the empty fireplace. His eyes shut, he felt the pressure of his cold palms on his eyelids. He wanted to go and talk to Ginny, and yet, he wanted to be alone. He had no idea what to say to her, or how to comfort her, because he was still grappling with this strange sadness that engulfed him.

He longed to speak with Ginny, but more than that, more than anything, he wanted to talk to Dumbledore. Or Sirius. Or Lupin. Or his Mum and Dad. But really, if he admitted it to himself, the person he wanted to talk to more than anyone else was Snape. Harry felt he had the right to apologize, or to thank him, or to say something of significance to the man who was truly responsible for the death of Voldemort. He felt he was being deprived of something that was not negotiable, something he should have been able to take for granted.

He could not speak to Ginny, for she was not Snape, and therefore the words he so needed to say aloud would mean nothing to her. Harry would never be able to hold her in his arms and be strong for them both if there was no one there to comfort him in this time of great need.

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Ginny sat at the bottom of the stairway in the entrance hall, not knowing what to think. The step behind her pressed uncomfortably into her back, but that small pain was nothing compared to the torment and misery she felt growing stronger and stronger inside of her. It was not for herself she felt such anguish, but for Harry, and for her brothers, and her parents, and Hermione.

She understood why Harry could not have her with him on his search for horcruxs, and why Ron and Hermione were an integral part of his mission, but it still hurt her to think about all they had gone through without her there with them. She knew they had faced horrors that still haunted Harry, and that they had done things that he was ashamed of, but he had also discovered the truth about Snape, and she knew that this pained him as much as anything else.

She loved Ron deeply, and Hermione was one of her greatest friends, but perhaps she worried about Harry the most because he was so completely isolated. He had no family, and had been famous for his entire life because of their murders. Ginny wanted him to know that he could turn toward her if he needed someone to be there for him. She wanted to go be with him, and yet, she could not bring herself to leave this painful reverie behind, and scale the staircase to the Gryffindor common room.

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The death of Voldemort had ended the second war, but it had also marked the beginning of a third. An emotional siege had taken hold over these valiant soldiers, and they would have to do battle once more against the power of evil, and the echo of Voldemort, which resounded so menacingly through the halls of Hogwarts and the graves of the many fallen heroes. Those who still lived would be forced to fight again, this time, against the memories and emotions that they were too frightened to face.


	4. Badges

Harry sat alone in the semi darkness of the Burrow's living room. He cradled a glass of firewhiskey in his left hand, occasionally taking a sip. The long, black, wrinkled dress robes he wore made him look disheveled; the dark mass of clothing that enveloped him from all sides gave him a strange, pale look. He had just returned from Fred's funeral, which had taken place a few weeks later than Snape's do to the many Weasleys who needed a chance to arrive and the preparations that had to be made. Mrs. Weasley had decided, after much thought, to hold the funeral at Hogwarts, and Harry had privately agreed with her decision.

Hundreds of people had come to pay their final respects to such an integral part of both the Weasley family and Gryffindor house. George had glowed with pride and sadness at the amount of his classmates, teachers, friends, and relatives who had come to grieve for his twin. Harry did not remember much of the proceedings other than George speaking on behalf of his brother, talking about how much he would be missed, and some how still managing to make everyone laugh in the midst of such terrible mourning.

In truth, Harry wanted to forget about the entire day, wishing he could banish the thought that kept popping up in his mind, unbidden, that of Ginny, for once, succumbing to tears. That of Ron, gripping Hermione tightly and both allowing themselves to weep for their loss. Harry wanted to forget the expressions of Charlie, Bill, Percy and George, as well as those of their parents, their faces betraying them, showing the grief and pain they were trying so desperately to hide. Harry knew Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had tried to be strong for their children, and that Ron and Ginny's brothers had attempted, unsuccessfully, to hold themselves together as to not to upset their mother.

Harry blamed himself for Fred's death, and if he was honest with himself, he knew he always would, no matter how many times his friends told him to, in Ron's words, "stop bein' a git and get over yourself, he fought because HE wanted to!". All the same, Harry was glad no one blamed him for Fred's death; he could not bear to have Mrs. Weasley think it was Harry's fault her son was killed.

"Um, Harry…" Ginny had been standing in the doorway for about a minute; evidently waiting for Harry to notice she was there.

Since Snape's funeral things had been different between them. It was not that they had broken up, but simply that neither knew exactly how to speak to the other.

"Hi." Harry responded.

Ginny stepped into the room and sat down on a couch across from Harry, "so…how's it going?" but she did not sound as if she cared in the least.

"Fine." Said Harry, rather coldly, but at glancing over to where she sat he noticed the dark bags under her eyes and the sadness that radiated from her, and he softened, "How's everybody doing? Your Mum?"

"They're…okay, I guess. Mum's, well, she's Mum, it will take her a while…and George"

Harry nodded, understanding how hard this had been for all of them, and the two she had mentioned in particular, "Gin…how 'bout you?"

She looked on the verge of tears, which before Voldemort's downfall had been such a rarity, but now seemed almost a daily occurrence, "I'm…oh god Harry, how did this happen to us? I thought, damn, I thought me and you could finally be together…be happy, but"

"but it's all gone to hell hasn't it." Harry finished her sentence, "I want to be here for you Ginny, I, I want to protect you…but I just, just dunno how." He whispered.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, Harry wishing more than anything that he could break the stillness and comfort her.

Harry drained his glass with one, final sip and stood quickly, feeling slightly off balance, "I'm gonna go to bed...see you tomorrow."

He hesitated between where she sat and the doorway, not knowing whether to kiss her goodnight or simply to leave, but finally decided on a wave, and then exited the room.

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Ginny slouched back onto the couch, missing Harry the moment he walked out of the room, and yet, not having the heart or the will to rise and call him back to her. Perhaps she had simply been naïve, but she had truly believed that she and Harry could be happy together now that they were not in constant danger. Ginny had not anticipated what it would feel like to lose a brother, and until now, had never fully appreciated the impact Voldemort had had on Harry's life.

She lay down on the couch, resting her head on one of the many lumpy pillows, and drifted off to sleep, tears finally free to stream down her face.

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Harry had not gone up to the room he and Ron shared, as he had told Ginny, but had collapsed onto the steps leading up to it. He was sick of not having the answers, tired of always finding a reason not to be with Ginny, and exhausted from his attempts to show no emotion. When at last he could not take it any more, he rose, and looked through the doorway to where Ginny lay, crying, and asleep.

He walked silently back into the room, not sure exactly why he was doing it, and sat on the coffee table in front of where Ginny lay. He wanted to lie down beside her, but contented himself to watch her chest rise and fall to her slow, steady breathing.

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Ron lay on his bed, still in his dress robes, not knowing how to react. Hermione sat in a chair across the room from him, she too having no idea what to say.

"I just can't…shit, how can this have happened?" Ron asked, a few sparkling drops of water falling of his cheeks and onto his bed. "He really is dead. I never…"

"I know." Said Hermione, stopping him. She looked tired and wary, but also knew that the death of Fred had never truly hit Ron before his funeral.

Ron sat up on his mattress, slid backwards, and rested his back against his wooden headboard, "I guess…it's just so weird, you know? I mean, George without Fred, I don't think I've ever seen one of them without the other one 'till now. God, Voldemort's gone, but he managed to take a hell of a lot of people with him, didn't he." His lips turned upwards, in a desperate imitation of a smile, and he gazed at Hermione.

"He did. Too many." She looked at him, as if trying to work out what to say to him, "Ron…we'll get through this, you know that right? 'Cause we will. Me and you...and everyone else with us. We can do this, Fred, well he wouldn't have wanted us to stay like this."

"I know…you're right, he wouldn't of."

Hermione stood and walked over to Ron's bed, her socks making a muffled sound every time she made a step, and sat down beside him. The mattress sank slightly with the additional weight, but neither one of them noticed. Ron looked up at her, and gripped her hand, pulling her towards him on his blankets.

Hermione lifted her legs onto the bed and leaned her head back to rest on the pillow, leaning against Ron's body. He slipped out of his sitting position and lay down next to her, wrapping his muscled arms around her. She did the same, her head beside his, and gently brushed his hair out of his blue eyes.

Ron smiled at the beautiful young woman who lay next to him, and for the first time, fully accepted that his brother had been killed, and that the best way to honor him was not to sink into a state depression, but to live his life.

"Why'd the bloody git have to get himself killed?" Ron asked Hermione, half serious.

A single tear trickled down her nose, and Ron wiped it away with his thumb, "I dunno Ron…I just dunno…"

He rolled over onto his back, and pulled her next to him. They fell asleep like that, her head on his chest, holding each other tightly, as if each was afraid the other would be snatched away from them in the dead of night. And maybe they had a reason to worry, for the many wounds the Dark Lord had left open and bleeding would take years to heal, and even then, the scars that remained would take generations to truly disappear. They must cope in the best way they could, and for these two, that meant together.

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Harry woke to Mrs. Weasley's voice, "You two, what ever happened to sleeping in your own beds…" but she was not angry, she new they were all dealing with things in their own ways. "It's time for breakfast."

Harry stood up groggily from the armchair he had evidently fallen asleep in, and noticed Ginny waking on the couch across from him. He saw a wave of comprehension cross her face when she remembered their brief conversation the night before, and then one of confusion at what he was doing there, seeing as she had though him to be asleep upstairs.

Harry headed out of the room, mumbling something about wanting to change to Mrs. Weasley, and then walked up the staircase to the room he shared with Ron. At opening the door he found Ron and Hermione asleep together, their bodies intertwined in a strong embrace. Although he found this quite awkward, he was still happy that his two friends had been able to comfort each other, something he and Ginny had not yet mastered.

Harry guessed that both Ron and Hermione would not like to be found like this by Mrs. Weasley, so, chuckling slightly, he woke them up, "Hey Ron," he said nudging his friend, "Wake up!"

"Wha...what is it? Just ten more minutes, okay…" Ron grunted in response, then tried to roll over, almost crushing Hermione in the process.

"Ouch! Ugh…Ron! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

"Huh…Oh, sorry Hermione," Ron said, blushing crimson, "I didn't mean…" but when he noticed Harry's presence, he sat bolt upright, elbowing Hermione in the face, "HARRY, whatchya doing here?"

Harry suppressed a laugh with difficulty as Hermione too rose into a sitting position, "RON! What are you trying to do, kill me in my sleep!" but she too noticed Harry standing next to them and the color quickly rose in her cheeks, "Oh, Harry, this isn't what it, well, anyway, what's going on?"

Harry had to master himself before speaking, "I thought you wouldn't want Ron's Mum to find you like that," he said, indicating the two of them with his hand, "…anyway, we should go down to breakfast, and Hermione, you might wanna get down to your room before Mrs. Weasley comes up here."

She leapt out of Ron's bed and nearly crashed into Harry in her haste to get out of the room and down the stairs.

Ron called out after her, "Sorry!" but she did not hear, and as she shut the door behind her Harry finally reached his limit, collapsing onto his own bed and writhing in mirth.

Ron looked slightly disgruntled, "Why would it be so bad if my Mum saw us. I mean, is she embarrassed to be with me or something?"

But this only made Harry laugh harder, and only Ron's continued sullen silence made him stop, "Look, your mum doesn't even know you're together, maybe Hermione just wanted a better introduction then her finding you two in bed together…wait, you didn't,"

"No, no of course not, she just fell asleep here, Harry, wait where were you?" Ron asked suspiciously.

"Oh, I was just talking with Ginny, I fell asleep downstairs," Harry answered, deliberately avoiding Ron's gaze, "But don't change the subject, if you hurt Hermione…she's like a sister to me…"

"Well Ginny actually is my sister, mate, and if you,"

"I'm not gonna do anything," Harry began angrily, but knowing how much Ron loved Ginny, he softened, "Ron, I won't hurt her, you should know that."

"Yeah…" Ron agreed reluctantly "I know."

"And Hermione…"

"I would never hurt her, mate, never."

There was a steadiness in Ron's voice that assured Harry that he would take care of Hermione, and Harry nodded, "Alright, we should probably go eat though, your Mum's gonna wonder where we are."

But Harry's real reason for going downstairs was very different. When he saw his two best friends laying arm and arm, he knew that was what he wanted with Ginny, and resolved to make it a reality.

The two young men walked down the stairs together after changing into muggle clothing, the shorter one wearing jeans and a red t-shirt, while the taller of the two was clad in cargo shorts and a light blue sweatshirt. They were both eager to get to the kitchen, and walked quickly. When they finally reached the ground floor, they broke apart, Ron taking his place next to Hermione and Harry the seat beside Ginny.

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When Ron reached his chair and sat down, he spoke in a low voice to Hermione, "I'm sorry about this morning, I didn't mean to hit you." He said in a nervous whisper, "Your not mad are you?"

She, hesitated, looking at his apprehensive expression, and then broke into a grin, "Of course not. I'm just glad your mum didn't see us like that, especially seeing as she doesn't even know we're actually together, I think she suspects, but"

"I've been thinking about that, I mean, maybe we could tell her, if you want…" Ron said, not knowing whether he was doing the completely wrong thing, "I just thought, since…"

"You really want to?" Hermione said, smiling, "I think you're right, I'm sick of sneaking around anyway."

"Okay, good" Ron said flashing a grin of his own, and, after checking that neither of his parents were looking, leaned down to kiss her quickly.

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Ginny looked up at him as he sat down, as if not knowing quite how to greet him.

Harry looked over at her, "Do you think we can go talk for a minute, maybe outside?"

"Okay, sure" Ginny said, looking around to make sure they would not be missed, then standing and walking out the door, followed by Harry.

They stepped out the front door into the garden, and Harry motioned to a bench a little ways away, both taking their seats on it.

"Gin, I know it's been, I've been, well it's been weird. Its just, everything that's happened, I didn't know what to do, what we could be…I wanted to do the right thing for you." She opened her mouth to speak, but he rushed on, "But I don't wanna do that anymore Ginny. I mean, look at Ron and Hermione, they're happy, I want to be like that. We can do it Gin, I'm tired of waiting. I want it now." He finished, staring at her, equally helpless and hopefull.

"Oh, Harry…me too." She said, then put her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply.

When they finally came up for air both stared contentedly out into the distance, Harry's arm around Ginny's shoulders, and her head resting on his.

"Hey, is that…an owl?" Harry said squinting at the horizon.

"Yeah, I think your right." Ginny said standing up and shielding her eyes from the sun with her hand, trying to get a better view. "There's a few of them. Wait, isn't this when we normally get Hogwarts letters?" Ginny asked, turning to him excitedly.

"Yeah, yeah it is…I wonder if they'll let us back." He responded, frowning at the memory of the conversation he had had with Professor McGonagall about he, Ron, Hermione and many other seventh years returning to school, when she had said that she did not know what would happen.

Ginny had evidently understood what he was thinking, because she took his hand in her own, and said "Well, we'll find out soon, come on let's go tell the others the letters are coming," she began walking back to the house, but Harry stood, rooted to the spot, she squeezed his hand, "Harry, they'll let you go back," but he still looked unconvinced, "Come on, they have to, if it wasn't for you their wouldn't be a Hogwarts to go back to."

He snorted, but nodded and allowed her to pull him by the hand back into the kitchen.

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"Guess what?" Ginny burst out as she and Harry stepped through the doorway, and she continued without waiting for an answer, "The Hogwarts owls are coming!"

Hermione gasped and Ron looked to Harry for an answer, "Harry, what do you think…" asked Hermione.

"I dunno," he said, shaking his head.

"Well I do," Ginny said resolutely, "They have to let you back!"

Harry smiled at her, but still look worried, "I hope so." He said, letting go of her hand and putting his arm around her shoulders.

"What, what if they don't" she asked, finally doubting herself, "we won't see each other for a whole year."

"It will be okay." He told her, leaning down to kiss her on the cheek, she nodded, as if trying to convince herself of the fact, and wrapped her arm around Harry's waist.

Mr. Weasley coughed, reminding the two teenagers of where they were, "Kids, I'm sure you will be allowed back to finish, let's not worry, we'll have our answer soon enough." He reassured them.

Even as he spoke four owls flew through the open window and dropped pieces of parchment on the table before zooming back out of the house. The four teenagers all looked nervous as they opened the letters addressed to each of them.

Hermione let out a small shriek, "We're going back!" she gave a wide smile, "They're letting us finish!"

Ron had finished reading his as well, and laughed out loud, "Blimey, I was scared." He said, before pulling Hermione in his arms and lifting her off her feet in his excitement, kissing her lightly before letting her go.

Mrs. Weasley gave a start as if about to reprimand her son, but stopped as her husband laid a hand on her arm. She smiled, deciding to let them enjoy this moment of happiness in peace.

Both Harry and Ginny appeared from behind their respective letters and embraced, "I told you it would be okay, we're together, don't worry," he said, kissing her on the cheek before letting go of her.

"I can't believe after all of that we're just going back to school." Ron said, chuckling, at which point Hermione found it necessary to punch him in the arm.

"This is important Ron!" she said, half laughing herself.

"I know, I know" Ron said, while still trying to fend off her blows.

But whatever Ron said, Harry knew that he had been just as nervous about their return to Hogwarts as Harry had been, although they had not spoken of it much because their had been so many other things going on.

Percy clapped Harry on the back in congratulations, having arrived in the kitchen just as the owls did, but stopped abruptly, "Harry what's that?"

He was pointing at a red something that was protruding out of the envelope that had held Harry's letter, "I dunno," Harry answered and then taking the envelope and tipping it upside down.

"Well done Harry, well done!" Percy almost yelled, pumping Harry's hand up and down, but Harry had not yet understood what the shiny crimson and gold badge meant.

"Your head boy? Nah…it can't be." Ron said, looking at it, shocked.

Although Ron was surprised, he was not angry, as he would have been just a few short years ago, he was not jealous of his best friend any longer, he was simply happy for him.

Ginny grinned up at him and kissed him swiftly, then spoke, comprehension dawning on her face, "Wait, if your head boy," she said, smiling up at a stunned and bewildered Harry, "then that must mean…" she continued, as they all followed her gaze to Hermione.

"Oh, Hermione, dear, is it there?" questioned Mrs. Weasley happily.

"Yes." Hermione said in a barely audible squeak, "Ron, look…"

"That's brilliant! Brilliant Hermione!" Ron exclaimed, genuine exuberance radiating from his smile, as for the second time in just a few minutes he kissed her in front of all of them.

"Hey Gin…" Harry began, "is that…Ginny you're quidditch captain!" he roared, holding up the scarlett badge to show the others, and launching himself into her arms.

"I just must go send owls to the boys!" said Mrs. Weasley, not even noticing her children's displays of affection, "Head boy and girl! And quidditch captain…all in my house, can you imagine…" but her voice faded away as she tore through the house, looking for their owls.

"Ginny's quidditch captain?" Ron asked in disbelief.

"Ron…" Hermione said, warningly.

Ron seemed to be fighting a battle with himself, deciding whether to be angry or excited, but finally choosing the later, and said, "That's great Ginny, really…wait, I'm still keeper right?"

"Of course!" said Ginny seriously, as all the others laughed.

"That's wonderful Ginny! But I'm surprised, pleased, but surprised they made you two head boy and girl," said Mr. Weasley, but at Ginny and Ron's reproachful looks, he clarified his meaning, "Well, I just thought, seeing as you three aren't technically seventh years…"

"Well I still think its brilliant!" Ron responded to his father's words, at which Hermione blushed and smiled at him.

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That afternoon they went into Diagon alley to purchase their school supplies, where George, who had recently moved back into his flat above the shop, congratulated Harry and Hermione on their accomplishment, teasing them less than he would have if Fred was around, and embracing Ginny, thanking her for keeping the real family tradition alive.

That night, they returned to the Burrow laden with bags and items, including a new Firebolt for Harry. There were better brooms now for sale, but Harry still felt that this model, the one Sirius had given him, was the best. Upon their arrival they found two letters, one from Charlie, who was now in Romania again, and the other from Bill and Fluer, congratulating Harry, Hermione and Ginny.

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Harry was happy, he realized as he lay down to bed that night, having just left Ginny at her room, that for the first time in over a year, he was completely content. He had another month of vacation, which he would enjoy to the fullest, and then a full year of Hogwarts to look forward to. His two best friends were there, having finally come to terms with their feelings for each other, and so was Ginny.

Harry fell asleep with a smile playing across his lips, as he thought about organizing a two on two game of quidditch the next day. After all, if he, Ginny and Ron planned on leading the Gryffindor quidditch team to another house cup, they would need the practice. He grinned at the thought of the last time they had won, in his sixth year. He drifted off to sleep, for the first time in much too long, thinking about things a boy his age should be thinking about.


End file.
